Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/122527
cover story Just add black printer drivers), an hey print only in black, and only on non- can plug in variable copy With preprinted label backgrounds, wineries can quickly personalize labels for short runs. textured stock, but the Toshiba thermal using fonts/sizes printing is high quality transfer printers sold by MacDay Label Sys- from the computer. For (300 dpi), she said, "It tems Ltd. provide a simple, quick and eco- instance, "Merlot" can cannot do photographs nomical solution to label customization for be rechristened "Merry and doesn't do grayscale some 400 North American wineries. Christmas Merlot," or well." She developed "The MacDay's T MacDay president Kim MacGowan, who operator at the winery the Miller Family's helped adapt the equipment specifically to Merlot" at speeds up to target the wine industry, explained how the one label per second. improve print quality. Thermal printing requires a smooth surface, more basic labels that can be customized labels can be paired on the roll with but background art can provide an appealing for private clients, special events or to back labels (and/or additional mandatory textured appearance, she said. accommodate changes in production. (Start- government health warning labels). They can MacGowan works with clients to optimize ups or home winemakers can access a library be manually applied or run onto another roll their use of the printers. The current model of stock labels or clip art to design their own.) for mechanical application. This flexibility lists for $895. "My U.S. customers for These background labels are printed in allows the system to grow with the winery, commercial wineries tend to order about MacGowan said. 20,000 to 30,000 labels per year. For full color at MacDay and arrive at the winery pressure-sensitive, icon-driven software to peel-and-stick process works. A winery may have one or The proprietary, within three weeks, ready to use in the Drawing from a long career in the printing thermal printer. With an attached PC (Mac industry, MacGowan was candid about this is between 10 and 15 cents," she said. operating systems don't have supportive system's limitations. Although the black J.F. 34 W in es & V i ne s M AY 2 01 3 custom labels at that quantity, the label cost